BEING DEEP ROOTED & FRUITFUL TODAY

(Message by Tanny Keng)

1. Root And Fruit

a) In this age of short cuts and quick fixes, we sometimes forget the principle that roots have to be established downwards before fruit can be borne upward.

b) Isaiah foretells how the kingdom of Judah would be like a tree cut down to a stump, but this remnant would make roots and branches again and bear fruit (Isaiah 11:1-2, 27:6).  

“The remnant of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward”.

Isaiah 37:31-32
31 The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. 32 For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”’

2 Kings 19:30
30 The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward.

2. Being Deep Rooted And Fruitful Today

a) The metaphor of root and fruit is fitting for us as Christians. The shallow-rooted Christian and the shallow-rooted church will wither and die. We need to fulfill the word of Isaiah, "take root downward and bear fruit upward" (Isaiah 37:31).

i) Nourished in the words of faith and sound doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6).

ii) Praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20).

iii) Rooted and Grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17-19).

iv) Rooted and built up in Christ (Colossians 2:7).

v) Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

vi) Fruitful in every good work (Colossians 1:10, Isaiah 3:10).

The End ...